May 2018 Review Issue
Halorum
Serdar Aydemir
Privately
Published
ISBN -
978-0-9994438-0-4
$7.99
ASIN -
B07BBCR7MR $2.99
Websites - https://authorserdar.com/
Halorum
is a
"mighty city that stands in the center of the defended kingdom." It
is a holy kingdom guided by knights and gods, and its latest mission is
to
eliminate the forces of darkness from its borders; for within this
world lies
Possessed, intruders, threats to the royalty who oversee the city's
safety, and
an impossible quest.
Fans
of sword
and sorcery fantasy will find Halorum a fast-paced
story of struggle and
medieval-style battles between forces of good and evil. The clashes
take place
not only between kingdoms and regions, but between living and undead,
demons
and humans, and creatures that lie somewhere inbetween.
In
addition to
epic battles, there is a dash of romance, good characterization, and
insights
into the social, political, and spiritual forces that affect the
kingdom's
ordinary citizens: "Our kingdom runs vast, our hearts run
deep, and by
the love of the Gods our lives run long." The citizens praised his
words.
"But the Gods do not hear our love. They do not hear the beating of our
hearts and the words from our mouths. And for this we are feeling the
wrath of
the demons within us all."
Against
this
backdrop a story evolves that portends of prophecy, death threats, a
king
perceived as hiding behind his kingdom, necromancers aided by the
possessed,
and the woman Paulira,
whose
actions change the balance of power and everything she touches.
Readers seeking an
epic sword-and-sorcery fantasy packed with action, powerful women, and
a city
built on the foundation belief that the Halorum Knights are their Gods
will
find Halorum an invigorating read
that gallops through action and confrontation like a man possessed,
weaving in
subplots that ultimately comment on the roots of faith, belief, and
dedication
against all odds.
Return to Index
The
Streets of
Nottingham
Auckly Simwinga
Independently
Published
ASIN:
B079Z6XX8M
$2.99
https://www.amazon.com/STREETS-NOTTINGHAM-Auckly-Simwinga-ebook/dp/B079Z6XX8M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519913429&sr=8-1&keywords=B079Z6XX8M&dpID=51pvsdtmRcL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
In
The
Streets of Nottingham, the world has been broken by a
cataclysmic clash
between the mother of creation and a god-king. Only one small village
has
escaped this breaking: one which prays to the mother whose distant
mercy masks
a deadly and merciless force about to erupt.
Nobody
makes it to
the streets of Nottingham from the outside world. In that world, there
lives a
young man who struggles with the long, unrequited love of a childhood
girl and
a refuge whose boundaries are marked by chaos.
The
first thing
to note about Auckly Simwinga's story is its attention to setting,
characterization and detail. Scenes are vividly described from the
first-person
protagonist's observation of his life and village, and come to life: "This
is a truly desolate place we have found ourselves in. Sands the colour
of ash
as far as the eye can see. Touched by black mountains that rise steeply
towards
the sky, like razor-sharp walls of coal black stone. There is a full
moon out
tonight, but its light dies suddenly before it hits the ground. On the
horizon,
we can see fiery chasms, remnants from the breaking of the world,
shooting fire
into the black sky."
An
attempt at a
quest which only leads to more darkness befuddles the young adventurer (“‘The
darkness will be your guide’... How can it be my guide when I can’t see
a
thing? ‘Seek not in the darkness’...” Maybe I should just sit down and
not seek
anything!"), but he forges on, and his encounter with Lord
Chaos and
other elements of rebirth and destruction leads readers on a horseback
journey
through mountains, over bridges, and through a confrontation that
demands the
highest levels of courage.
The Streets of
Nottingham provides a gripping
focus on revelations and experiences at every
step, providing a solid "you are there" feel to the quest that takes
a song's questionable meanings and pairs them with a hero's journey to
discover
their impact.
Happiness
and
love, anger and death, and the impact of god-kings past and arisen anew
all
coalesce into a gripping saga that is firmly grounded by challenging
and unexpected
encounters along the way.
The result is a
thoroughly engrossing read that's highly and especially recommended for
fantasy
readers seeking more poetic and vivid descriptions than most epic
journeys
offer.
Return to Index
Character
Building: A
Musical
Adapted by Martin
Blank from talks by Booker T. Washington
American Ensemble
Books
978-0-692-09156-2
$6.95
AmericanEnsembleBooks.com
Character Building is a one-man
musical adapted from Dr.
Washington's inspirational talks to his students at Tuskegee University
and
comes not only from his own words, but from his method of blending
Afro-American spirituals into his speeches.
This play,
adapted
and directed by author Martin Blank, premiered at Capitol Hill Arts
Workshop in
Washington, D.C. on February 3, 2018, is set in 1899, and captures not
just the
words of Dr. Washington, but the circumstances of his life, the
evolution of
his mission, and the impact of his informal talks to students, which
were
designed to encourage and build character.
Couched
within this
musical and admonitions from the good doctor are keys to dealing with
life and
adjusting one's approach to and direction within it: "We
all know there are people who only see the dark side.
Everything they say is unpleasant. I have actually seen people coming
up the
road who caused me to want to cross to the other side. One of the ways
in which
people are likely to go astray is to spend their time with persons who
have
mean and low dispositions."
Without the
musical
notes added, Dr. Washington's words would have been heavy indeed; but
Martin
Blank's attention to juxtaposing the seriousness of their meaning with
spirituals such as "I Cannot Tarry Here" and "We Are Climbing
Jacob's Ladder" lends not only an upbeat tone to these insights, but
captures the culture and flavor of Afro-American lives.
The play's
format
lends to a drama production's usage, but the spiritual and
psychological
insights assume an especially hard-hitting flavor couched in a story of
self-discovery and how to live a meaningful life.
The result
is a
production that should be high on the lists of any drama class seeking
to
capture the spirit and enthusiasm of Afro-American lives in general and
the
historic impact of Dr. Booker T. Washington in particular; well-done
and
already seasoned with a purposeful impact strengthened by the choice of
music
throughout.
Return to Index
Travelers
Laura Bernstein Machlay
Sonder Press
Trade paperback:
9780999750100
$14.95
Ebook: 9780999750117
$ 7.99
www.thesonderpress.com
The essays
in Travelers have appeared in a
variety of
journals, from Moon City Review to CrossCurrents and The Nassau Review;
but
they're gathered here under one cover for the first time to transmit
Laura
Bernstein Machlay's prowess as a wordsmith talented in depicting
different
kinds of life journeys.
Take the
opening
'Hitchhikers', for one example. Bernstein-Machlay's engrossing portrait
of
those who travel via thumb and open road is nicely developed, with a
solid
sense of time, place, and people: "...
this was the '70s. Hitchhikers were plentiful as pennies on the ground,
crowding the mouths of freeways, perched even on the side streets of
Bubby and
Zaidy’s fraying Detroit neighborhood. The sort of hitchhikers Zaidy
felt most
secure stopping for—the girls dewy-skinned and too-thin, the boys with
limited
facial hair—wore loose, garish dashikis and tie-dyed T-shirts,
bell-bottoms
that flip-flapped in gentle percussion against their calves. They rose
like day
lilies above knee-high grasses, their thumbs pointed toward traffic,
clutching
signs proclaiming their destinations..."
In this
story, a
hitchhiker's journey to Canada to visit his brother becomes the vehicle
whereby
a young girl reflects on fears, freedoms, and life journeys impacted by
culture
and attitude: "The boy squirmed a
little, shook out his arms. 'Man, you’re lifesavers,' he said in a
surprisingly
low voice. 'It’s been hours. My thumb’s killing me.' I looked down and
sure
enough, he was vigorously massaging the fleshy portion of his palm with
the
non-thumbing hand. 'I was getting awful lonely out there,' he added. I
nodded
in commiserate feeling. Even then I understood myself to be a
hitchhiker also,
shuffled from my divorced mother’s condo to Bubby and Zaidy’s house
whenever
she had a hot date or wanted to let loose. I imagine the '70s as a
golden time
for singles and my mother was living the dream."
Travelers takes no singular approach
either to the open road or the
open mind. Readers should expect not a collection of cultural
encounters and
travelogues as much as a probe cemented by the interactions of Bubby,
Zaidy,
their granddaughter, and the characters who move in and out of their
spheres of
influence.
A young
girl's
observations of life and her place in it lie at the heart of these
traveler's
tales; whether they be insights into her place in life ("For
years, forever, I’ve been knotted and snarled in my own
bones, my voice constrained to whisper. Former fat girl, shy girl at
school,
duck & cover girl. Don’t
notice me don’t notice me don’t notice me has been my mantra. I wear it like a shroud."), her friendships, or family
connections.
From an
eight-year-old who faces a stranger in her family's car to being "...twenty-five, stupid
and lost and sick somewhere in Brittany",
these essays reflect journeys through life, changing times, and
changing
places; capturing the essence of movement and transformation in the
process of
uprooting and facing homelessness.
Those looking for powerful literary pieces which take the theme of travel and elevate it to physical and psychological moments in time forever captured by the written word will relish the delicate progression of Travelers as it carries readers on a vivid journey through life's potent moments of revelation and self-realization.
TravelersReturn to Index
The
8th Sky
Leigh Lyn
Amazon Digital
Services
ASIN: B07B59NWTD
$3.99
http://a.co/9r8ZoW7
What
happens
when a hard-working architect involved in an intense project confronts
a
closely-held secret so mind-boggling that she winds up in an asylum?
Lin Lee
experiences a truth so horrific that her sanity is threatened; and in
order to
fight her way back to reality and the truth, she begins a memoir.
This
memoir
forms the foundation of The 8th Sky, a vivid,
compelling saga of what
happens when "the whole world has amnesia except for me."
Even
more important: how can Lin get her old life back when everything she's
believed in is now in jeopardy?
The 8th Sky
is packed with detailed psychological insights that pack punches from
the
start. Lin's worry she might never see her twins again, her loss of
memory and
recognition that history has become fluid as a result, and her
observation that
"...the madhouse is used to silence those who don't comply..."
make for gripping episodes of insanity, sanity, and horror.
When
confronted
with this terrible truth, what can Lin do to change things? When Lin
discovers
that many other inmates of the asylum may have been set up, like her,
she
becomes even more convinced that the nightmare is only beginning and is
firmly
rooted in reality.
Readers
can
expect big concepts and stark conundrums in a story that combines the
trappings
of an engrossing scientific thriller with a psychological mood piece.
As
Lin tries to
return to the world she once knew, readers are swept into an effort
that
juxtaposes questions of sanity and insanity with cultural perspectives
and
their influences on reality and what makes for humanity in an era of
genetic
modifications and manipulations.
The
action is
solidified by an attention to scientific and psychological detail and
by the
protagonist's desperate attempt to use her memoir to get at the heart
of what
is happening not just to her; but to the world.
A
big strength
to this story is the myriad of subplots running through it. From
questions of
mental illness and scientific ethics and experiments to computer
hacking,
compulsive work habits, secret hideouts, and confidential patient
information
compromised by madness and special purposes, the thriller elements are
diverse
and numerous.
The
result is a
fantastic, thought-provoking read about rehabilitation, scientific
discovery,
and the cost of progress on the heart and mind of a woman determined to
survive. Thriller readers who enjoy edgy science and more than a light
dose of
psychological inspection will find Lin's story compellingly hard to put
down.
Return to Index
Caught
in a Web
Joseph Lewis
Black Rose Writing
978-1-68433-024-9
$20.95
http://bit.ly/2GtdsXL
Caught in a Web is a detective piece revolving around drugs,
gangs, and deception; and
considers the investigations and actions of sheriff detectives Jamie
Graff, Pat
O’Connor, and Paul Eiselmann, who find themselves in over their heads.
As
the bodies of
middle school and high school kids who have overdosed mount, the race
is on to
quash a violent gang from El Salvador and, specifically, gang leader
Ricardo
Fuentes, who is sent to find out what gang is cutting in on their
territory. He
also harbors a motive for personal revenge that involves locating and
killing
fifteen-year-old George Tokay, who murdered his cousin.
Having
multiple
subplots proffers a level of complexity not usually seen in detective
stories.
Characters often question if they are doing the right thing, are often
caught
between cops and bad guys, and teens explore their emotions and
relationships
against the backdrop of threats and murders.
As the investigators
review relationships, affairs, and threats, they find themselves
unraveling an
ever-increasing web of deception as readers are carried into a
thrilling
underworld of gang violence and teen involvements which gradually lead
to a
resolution where characters may fudge on honesty, but tie up loose ends.
Characters
are
many, but are well-drawn; the action offers just the right blend of
tension and
intrigue; and detective story enthusiasts will especially relish the
level of
emotional inquiry which makes the characters both human and believable.
The
result is an
involving detective piece that probes the worlds of teens and gang
members with
an equal attention to precise, staccato details that flow smoothly into
a story
that creates a satisfying conclusion to all conundrums.
Return to Index
Death's White Horses
Marc Rainer
CreateSpace
ASIN: B00J9HKS6Q
$11.99 Paper/$3.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Deaths-White-Horses-Trask-Crime-ebook/dp/B00J9HKS6Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1521755339&sr=1-2&keywords=Death%27s+White+Horses
Based on
real-life events
surrounding Mexico’s cartel wars, Death's
White Horses provides a timely consideration of border
skirmishes, drug
trafficking across the U.S. border, and underlying issues of justice,
ethics,
and moral challenges; creating a fast-paced, moving story that centers
as much
upon fundamental law enforcement and prosecution issues as on physical
confrontation.
This element
adds an
intellectual approach to the usual crime story and creates a depth that
invites
leisure readers to think beyond the thriller story surrounding Jeff
Trask and
his team's challenges.
There is a big difference between contrived concepts of 'war' and actual crimes big and small, as Marc Rainer points out in his tale. Under certain circumstances, police actions and war can merge purposes. Actual Mexican politics and social struggles are woven into the story line, giving it both a refreshing and a realistic perspective as Jeff Trask and his team face revolutionary heroes, military might, changing rules of engagement, and the impact of historical precedent on modern-day actions and reactions.
With drugs
and their marketing at the center of this engrossing drama, readers
are thus treated to an entertaining thriller packed with action and a
thought-provoking series of encounters on both sides of the border.
They will
find Death's White Horses an
unusual
blend of political, social, and legal commentary in a thriller that
leaves
readers thinking long past the saga's long road to justice.
Death's White Horses is highly
recommended reading for those who
like their thrillers based in reality and steeped in issues that
reflect
real-world conundrums, with action moving from courtroom to streets at
not a
staccato pace, but swiftly enough to capture attention and allow time
for
reflection along the way.
Return to Index
Eritis: The
Silver
Strand Legacy
T.E. Stouyer
T.E. Stouyer,
Publisher
978-1-9999649-1-7
$0.99 Kindle/$9.99 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/ERITIS-Silver-Strand-Legacy-thriller-ebook/dp/B0797PS9Q9/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521833967&sr=8-1&keywords=eritis
Eritis: The Silver Strand Legacy
introduces ex-soldier Nate
Kincade, who faces years in a military prison until a mysterious
benefactor
gets all charges dismissed in exchange for his help tracking down a
group of
renegade scientists.
The job
sounds simple
and right up Nate's alley; but Kincade and his team know that being a
mercenary
is not about tackling cut-and-dried assignments. As the situation
becomes
complicated with a Berlin female detective's case which hits too close
to home
and a killer on the loose which draws an international force together,
tension
mounts.
Fans of
thrillers who
enjoy stories where detective investigations become entwined with
international
intrigue will relish the many characters and complex story of Eritis: The Silver Strand Legacy.
Nate's
increasing
concern about keeping his team out of prison blends with the story of a
bigger
case and a larger prize than he'd anticipated; with more at stake than
either
prison or freedom.
Readers will
be
caught up in the swift action of this fast-paced thriller as they
careen
towards a precipice of crime organizations and villains and mercenaries
in over
their heads.
The nonstop
action
and complex subplots keep Eritis: The
Silver Strand Legacy charging to its unexpected conclusion,
which will
delight those who like their thrillers laced with detective-style
intrigue.
Return to Index
Firestorm
Solange Ritchie
Stony Hill
Publishers
9781947835030
$15.99
www.stonyhillpublishers.com
Firestorm
sees Dr. "Cat" Powers return to again confront a threat to her young
son by one Eric, who has found a companion killer to share his penchant
for
torturing women. But a serial killer's return isn't all that's going on
in Firestorm:
Eric's passion for punishment is conducted against the backdrop of
wildfires
which ravage southern California, the ongoing issues of sexual
harassment in
the workplace, Cat's conflict in priorities between her job and her
child, and
the ongoing psychological impact of son Joey's kidnapping a year ago.
Is
it a
coincidence that a killer's work and an arsonist's hand are threatening
to
change the landscape of her beloved Southern California home? Cat is
determined
to obtain justice at all costs and save everything she loves in the
process.
As
heartbreak
leads to David's firestorm responses and his desire to, like Eric, be
in
control all the time (especially over women), one deadly force becomes
two
people who wield destruction over not just women but their
environments,
controlling and manipulating it with a dangerously deft hand. Cat
wonders when
it is all going to end. The bodies keep piling up as she spins her
wheels.
While
attention
to detail provides exquisite tension and riveting moments, the real
strength in
Firestorm lies not just in the investigative process
or progression of
events, but in the methodical way Solange Ritchie enters the mind of a
killer,
exposing his thoughts about women and his mentor's influence.
Cat
got into
forensic pathology to give voice to victims by telling the stories of
the dead.
She will avenge their deaths and fights to expose the truth. But in
this case,
she's exposing truths about the killer's psyche as much as her own
motivations
and life; and Ritche's attention to exposing the details in her process
create
a delightfully complex read.
Readers
who want
an investigative process steeped in psychological insights and breaks
in logic
and reason will relish Firestorm's ability to touch
upon the deeper
passions in character hearts and minds. Ultimately, it is these
emotional
connections which drive the superior story line, and which add the
dimension of
compelling interest that makes Firestorm a
memorable and thoroughly
engrossing murder mystery read.
Return to Index
Reset
Brian Andrews
Thomas &
Mercer
9781503954267
$15.95
www.apub.com
First,
Sergeant
Michael Pitcher discovers an object in the Afghan mountains
that not only
impacts his health, but changes his personality. Returned home for an
evaluation, Michael seems ok; but he is distant from his wife and soon
empties
their bank accounts and vanishes, as do the team of scientists
connected to
him.
Assigned
to one
of the most puzzling disappearances of his career, CIA agent Dean
Ninemeyer
finds himself embroiled in a mystery steeped in the possibility that
someone or
something has discovered how to hack into the human mind and influence
it.
Against
the
backdrop of the ongoing War on Terror evolves a different kind of
threat that
holds vast implications not just for military engagement, but for the
future of
the human race.
The
premise
would be engaging enough with just these thriller elements at the
forefront;
but ex-military man and author Brian Andrews peppers his account with
many
insights into the armed services and its culture which bring the story
to life
on many different levels, including the perspective of an Army wife: "Army
wives didn’t get a vote. Neither did soldiers for that matter. The
military,
defender of freedom and the American way, was a juggernaut, indifferent
and
unrelenting. There were only three choices: get on board for the ride,
get run
over, or get left behind. Willie Barnes had long since been left
behind."
As
the story
blossoms from the microcosm of military experience into a broader
discussion of
a new deadly, missing weapon and its potential to change everything,
thriller
readers are swept into a tense and satisfyingly riveting account.
Michael's
mental
doppelganger, a lasting consequence of his interaction with an orb, is
transforming his impulses, perspectives, and ability to remain human.
At some
point, a sacrificial lamb might be required to reset everything again.
And that
lamb won't be one prepared for the job.
The
blend of
scientific intrigue, military interactions and culture both within and
outside
of the forces, and the desperate attempts of two skilled agents facing
something
far beyond even their powerful abilities makes for a gripping thriller
that is
hard to put down.
Readers
who like
the scientific and military aspects of intrigue kept in the foreground
and
complimented by a host of realistic, solid characters will relish the
action-paced Reset as a powerful story not just of
intrigue, but of
extinction events and the value of humanity on Earth.
Return to Index
The Serenity
Murder
Dan Petrosini
Independently
Published
$2.99
Website/ordering
Link: mybook.to/serenitymurder
The Serenity Murder is Book 3 in the Luca
series, and tells of a
wealthy woman murdered on a private island. The tale opens with
Gideon's
perspective as he lives an estranged life with Marilyn at Serenity
House on the
island, contemplates a divorce that would allow him to keep his place
at the
house and his beloved artwork, and Marilyn's decision to lock him out
of
everything he loves.
In the
introductory
chapter, motivation is established ("I’d
hated her for years and thought endlessly about killing her. It was
time to
finally do it.") and the only thing that seems unpredictable
is the
act of murder and the actions of one investigator determined to solve
it. But
is this truly the case?
Many people
have had
their fill of the spoiled, spoon-fed Marilyn. Aside from the obvious
perp,
there are others equally motivated to see her gone. And just as Gideon
makes
his plans, so others may be involved in countermeasures.
How can
Gideon
contrive a murder that doesn't implicate him? When he faces Marilyn's
frank
confession that his own disappearance would solve many problems for
her, things
take a surprising and different turn.
By the time
Luca
enters the picture, things have gone awry in more than one way,
disturbing the
island home's serenity and challenging his investigative skills: "It was a magnificent home, the nicest
I’d ever been in. There were a lot of interesting pictures hanging with
little
lights over them. But it wasn’t like the place was a museum. It was
tough to
explain; you just knew it was expensive, but it wasn’t gaudy. It was,
it hit
me, serene. Well, all that serenity was broken, as usual, by human
behavior
gone off the rails."
The appeal of Dan Petrosini's story lies not so much in a standard murder whodunit but in his approach to building competing motivations for murder from different angles and different character perspectives. Readers are along for a interesting delve into fine wines, rich people, and a host of special interests which weave a strong story line and keep readers guessing about the outcome and Luca's ability to get at the heart of what's really going on.
An attention
to interesting descriptions enhances the story line ("According
to the autopsy, he was
lying. Tucking the deception into a mind file, I moved on.")
and
brings the investigative process and its conundrums to life.
Mystery fans
seeking
a well-rounded and engrossing attention to detail as characters dance
around
each other and the world of the rich will find The
Serenity Murder a powerful, compelling tale that centers
around
what happens when a clearly guilty perp faces too much competition and
an adept
detective is forced to trust his sense something is not quite right
with his
obvious conclusion.
Return to Index
A Summer Again
George Rothery
George Rothery, Publisher
978-0-9998679-0-7
www.ingramspark.com
A
Summer Again's
'Mister Halston' thriller takes place on an island off New Jersey,
embraces
romance, international intrigue, and mystery, and opens on the day a
man makes
a major change in his life, selling his long-held, successful business
to a
company that's wooed him for years. After gifting long-time and loyal
employees, he's free to pursue other interests; and these revolve
around a life
of travel and adventure.
What Greg Halston doesn't
know is that this new life also
involves returning to old habits, old friends, and too-familiar
patterns. And
it's about to get even more complicated when he returns to one place
from his
past, only to find a rekindled romance and a series of events that
include
spying, puzzles, and self-destructive choices that are instinctual
reactions.
It's a good thing Greg has
left his successful business
behind; because his life is getting complicated. Two women occupy his
thoughts
(one new; one from his past) and pose increasingly thorny romantic
conundrums;
he adopts the new habit of carrying a gun after a Middle Eastern foe
threatens
his safety; and his encounters with naval intelligence bring to mind
threats
from his military days. Moreover, Greg becomes involved in an operation
that
holds dire consequences for everyone around him, including a Russian
mole.
Fans of thrillers that offer
more than a light dose of
romance, intrigue, and international encounters will find A Summer Again's story line robust,
fast-paced, and hard to put
down as Greg races towards new beginnings, dubious relationships, and a
series
of events destined to either come full circle or end in disaster.
Characterization and plot
are strong; but it's the
winding maze of intrigue that keeps readers guessing and racing
alongside Greg
as he uncovers answers, creating a vivid and engrossing read.
Return to Index
The
Last Straw
Ed Duncan
Creativia
978-1973444008
$10.99
Paper/$3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/cevj17F
The Last Straw provides thriller fans with the powerful story of
teen Sandra, who
witnesses a carjacking and murder and faces a crime boss who targets
her; and
black lawyer Paul Elliott, who has been accused more than once that he "...never
seems to have any sympathy for the victim” in his cases.
His
latest case
not only challenges that perception, but immerses him in the dilemma of
a young
girl's life and the law enforcement and legal processes charged with
keeping
her safe against all odds.
One
of the
strengths of The Last Straw lies in the fact that
Ed Duncan focuses on
the psyches of all the characters, revealing their motivations, truths,
lies,
and belief systems as the story progresses: "She accepted his
account
of what happened because she desperately wanted and needed to believe
him. She
told herself that she could not have raised a murderer. Because that
was not an
option, he had to be telling the truth, or at least some version of it."
This
creates
reader sympathy towards all the characters as they interact, clash, and
embark
on bumpy rides towards inevitable confrontations and life-changing
choices.
Rico
is a hit
man charged with keeping his personal feelings out of his job; but that
rapidly
changes as he's faced with attacks on those around him: "Although
outwardly calm, he was still furious. In his business projecting a calm
exterior wasn’t enough. To be at the top of his game, he had to rein in
his
emotions completely. It didn’t matter that this was personal. In order
to do
what he needed to do, he had to regain his detachment, something he
seldom
lost."
These
two very
different men, Rico and Paul, seem polar opposites in many ways; but
each is
charged with distancing themselves from the often-wrenching truths
about their
very different professions. When they tangle, justice and truth run
headlong
into danger and a convoluted murder plot that threatens them both.
The Last Straw is the second book in the 'Pigeon-Blood Red'
series. The first has not
been read by this reviewer. No prior familiarity with the first book is
required in order to easily absorb and become immersed in the ethical
dilemmas
of the two main characters in this second thriller.
Realistic
characters,
suspenseful action, twists and turns that prove satisfyingly
unpredictable, and
an attention to creating full-faceted characters (whether they be women
or men,
victims or investigators, or hitmen) lends to an absorbing read highly
recommended for those who like their thrillers complex and their
characters
fully developed.
Return to Index
Bollywood
Invasion
Ricardo
Alexanders
CreateSpace
978-1981590193
$12.99
http://ricardoalexanders.com/bollywood-invasion/
The
opening
pages of Bollywood Invasion present what first
appears to be an ordinary
story of John Palmieri, a Brooklyn boy who is leading an average life
until
he's hit by a bus and awakens in another body as Raj Scindia, a prince
living
in India in 1958. He's suddenly wealthy, privileged, and living quite a
different life from modern-day Brooklyn. Only his intense love for The
Beatles
has survived his transformation as he adapts to an entirely new culture
and
timeline; and it's that love which will lead to further changes because
it's
one he can't leave behind, in his old life.
Driven
by the
possibilities of love and making a positive impact on his world, he
finds the
lyrics of the Beatles continue to direct his life, even though in this
incarnation, they never existed. And when his choices bring everything
he loves
crashing into disaster ten years later, these songs and the values they
instill
in his new identity may be the only thing to link the former John's
persona
with Raj's struggle to survive.
It
would be all
too easy to say that Bollywood Invasion is a
timeslip novel that centers
around a boy's struggle to regain his position and former world; but in
actuality it's a saga of a struggle for identity that assumes a special
level
of complexity when two personas clash and their owner becomes lost
between
them.
Is
he living a
lie, or dreaming? Which world is real; and which is his choice? As Raj
becomes
the incarnation of John Lennon in another place and time, bringing the
messages
of his future self into the past where they are received and
interpreted with
much enthusiasm and gusto, he also faces many conundrums, such as two
women who
love him and the dilemma of one of them being promised to another.
His reincarnation of the music of the 'Beetos' in this timestream leads
to many
changes as Ricardo Alexanders provides a
satisfying focus on love, fame, complicated situations, and the values
of
Indian girls and the men who pursue them.
The
result is a
complex and vivid story that leads Raj/John around the world and across
time,
probing the unexpected consequences of coming full circle with a story
that
challenges not only the protagonist's true identity, but the
circumstances
surrounding John Lennon's life, death, and own incongruities (“You
wrote
songs imagining no possessions but have millions of dollars and
properties
everywhere.”).
Readers
looking
for timeslip sagas that go beyond the usual focus on finding a way back
to
finding the path to one's identity will relish the very different
perspectives
that make Bollywood Invasion an engrossing saga
that excels in
unexpected turns of plot.
Return to Index
The Devil’s Chaplain
Bruce Hartman
Swallow Tail Press
Trade paperback edition, 978-0999756409 $12.95
Library edition, 978-1987490688
$12.95
www.swallowtailpress.com
Christopher Ritter's time is almost up. He's
a Death Row inmate slated for execution. His young, female,
African-American
attorney's only hope of staying his execution is a legal defense nearly
impossible to achieve, made all the more complicated because Chris is
more
willing to admit his guilt in a range of matters outside of the crime
he's
accused of than to defend his own innocence.
What evolves in The
Devil's Chaplain is more than a legal quandary or a story of
justice: it's a tale of moral, ethical, and psychological challenges to
individual survival and social systems; and in the course of following
Christopher's convoluted logic and questionable experiences, the plot
leads
readers to think about the real processes of guilt, innocence, crime,
and
punishment.
On many levels, Christopher's case stands at
the crossroads of pro-life and justice, representing the extreme edge
of
consequences for actions that challenge life itself. And what do
Haitian
refugee witnesses (people Chris is adamantly opposed to involving, even
to save
his life) have to do with matters?
A hornet's nest of possibilities and danger
emerges as Charlotte embarks on a path that could save her client's
life and
stay execution, finding that the clues lead to a host of situations
that, when
taken together, help explain why her puzzling client is so reluctant to
help
her save his life.
And then, there's Charlotte's own challenges
from the public as she defends someone who might be a deadly killer: "Save a life! God bless you!” one man
shouted. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” yelled the puffy-haired
blonde."
The yin/yang of her actions and the juxtaposition of those who believe
either
side of the question of whether Christopher should live or die makes
for
engrossing passages that lead readers to consider their own values and
the
influences on life and death choices.
The Devil's Chaplain
also provides a graphic moment-by-moment portrayal of a death row
execution. On
many levels, it's a read that challenges one's emotions and ethics even
with
the false comfort of a chaplain who is assigned to make the accused
feel like a
"collaborator in his own execution".
Readers of legal thrillers who like cases
that are not cut-and-dried but filled with satisfying twists and much
food for
thought will find The Devil's Chaplain
a powerfully-wrought inspection of not just legal processes, but social
issues
revolving around murder, redemption, punishment, and resolve. It's a
thoroughly
engrossing inspection that's hard to put down: a riveting story that
hinges on
clues so elusive that the tension is exquisitely drawn.
Return to Index
In
An Empty
Room: A Novel
Stephen Spotte
Open Books
978-1948598002
$16.95
Website:
http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/in-an-empty-room/about-book.html
Ordering links:
http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/in-an-empty-room/order.html
An explosion in Vietnam devastates a Marine fireteam sent to a village
to
investigate the possibility of a bomb depot's presence
there. Only one of
the five-man unit survives. Grossly disfigured, who is he? Burned
beyond
recognition, suffering from amnesia, and unable to speak, he has no
more
insight than anyone around him. But people back home in West
Virginia are
convinced they know, and a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
At first glance, In An Empty Room seems like
another Vietnam survivor
story, but take a closer look. Think Johnny Got His Gun,
another tale of war's deadly impact on those who live through
it, then add
an introduction which begins with chapter profiles of the perspectives
of the
five original men who contemplate what constitutes humanity, lends
credence and
value to their lives, and has led to their mission in Vietnam.
Passages are packed with reflections on not just their participation in
Vietnam, but the elements of war which contribute to their humanity or
inhumanity ("All wars are us against them, the sanctified and
blessed
against the unholy and damned, the civilized against the wogs and
barbarians.
We demonize our enemy, making him less human than ourselves so we can
kill him without guilt."), the impact of weaponry
that increasingly distances the killer from the humans he kills ("With
each step in the evolution of weapons the simultaneous expansion of
behavioral
space allowed killing to occur at increasingly greater distances while
remaining extensions of us as part of the body schema."), and
the
effects of distancing oneself from body and mind over the ability to
kill and survive ("If the illusion is all-encompassing then so
are discomfort and pain, guilt and sorrow and delight,
the fear of dying so excruciating as to seem transcendent, like a
fleeting
synesthesia arising from the foul odor of a dream.").
After introductory chapters provide biographical sketches and
philosophical
reflections, In An Empty Room takes an even darker
turn in Part Two,
revealing a coal mining camp where the unlucky amnesiac survivor has
returned
to a putative home he can't recall. A host of other
characters receive their
own chapters summarizing their lives, hopes, and dreams.
By now it should be evident that In An Empty Room,
though comparable in
some ways to Johnny Got His Gun, doesn't begin and
end with one man's
broken body and isolation, but embraces other lives and perceptions of
life's
meaning and challenges in the face of war and peace. Those expecting
yet
another singular Vietnam War soldier's experience will be in for a
surprise,
because as much takes place at home in the small West Virginia coal
mining town
as it does before and after the explosion changes everything.
Each character's perspective adds a philosophical, moral, and ethical
inspection to life's processes. This means that readers expecting an
adventure-packed Vietnam War saga should look elsewhere. The adventure
here
lies just as much in inner space and psychological development as it
does in
the series of events that lead the protagonist far from his
life-changing
Vietnam encounter.
The result is a powerful and highly recommended story of a man broken
and
changed, the world he returns to, and a series of characters who enter
his life
to change it forever, exploring the theme of disruption from cultural,
ethical,
military and psychological perspectives through the eyes and hearts of
myriad characters.
Return to Index
The Key of F
Jennifer Haskin
Rogue Phoenix Press
978-1-62420-258-9
$4.99
ebook/$12.99 Paper
https://roguephoenixpress.com/
The Key of F is the first book in the
Freedom Fight trilogy and introduces
orphan Fale, who seeks a peaceful life after her parents are murdered.
Her
training with her adoptive father also directs her to become a
peacekeeper,
supporting her vision of leading a life that reflects the peace process.
What doesn't
hold up to
her goals in this fantasy saga is the turbulent environment around her
which
stems from sudden visions of the future, which appear on her 18th
birthday to
redirect her purpose in life.
At first
glance The Key of F would seem to
add to the
teen dystopian genre with many of the trappings of better-known,
similar-sounding titles involving a teen's maturity process, newfound
secret
powers, an evolving romance with a peer, and a confrontation with an
oppressive
social system. There are simply too many 'clones' of these themes in
modern YA
fantasy literature, these days.
But The Key of F offers many more facets
than most of its genre peers: among them, a fast-paced plot filled with
unpredictable changes that keeps readers on their toes; a focus on how
a teen leading
a normal life suddenly discovers strange new abilities and an
alternative
purpose to goals she's taken for granted all her life; and a series of
consequences that stem from her decision to use her power to thwart
death
itself.
Readers who
focus on
the evolving romance between Fale and the charismatic yet elusive Karon
may
chafe at how a strong woman's newfound purpose too easily seems to be
diverted
into mushy clichés during the course of their relationship; but soft: The Key of F is about much more than
young love. Scenes present the give-and-take of romance's realities and
illusions, as in this revelation: "Fale
was uneasy as his eyes narrowed. Was he trying to bait her? What
happened to the sweet Keron from earlier?"
which is tempered by a shy acknowledgement of her growing ability to
affect another, just a paragraph later: "She loved seeing she
could
affect him, too. It made her feel powerful."
It's about a
young
woman making mistakes, recognizing her strengths, suffering from her
weaknesses
and some of her choices, and, yes, infatuations and maturing during the
process
of facing adult situations. As Fale connects with the things that make
her feel
powerful in her life, so readers are introduced to a rich world filled
with
satisfying descriptions, social and political challenges, and the story
of a
girl on the cusp of adulthood who is charged with not only moving into
new
adult circles and handling her emotions, but possibly changing the
world.
The Key of F is a powerful read that will
appeal to mature teens,
new adults, and any fantasy reader who can accept sometimes-mushy
romantic
interludes as part of a young girl's maturation process.
Return to Index
The Nanny
Song
Misty Mount
Willow River Press
978-0-9996556-7-2
(Paper)
$14.95
978-0-9996556-9-6
(digital)
www.btwnthelines.com
The Nanny Song presents
twenty-two-year-old Mallory Riscoe, whose
younger years have been ones of chaos, but who finally seems to have
overcome
these negative influences until she finds herself falsely accused of
theft and
is fired from her job.
Brandon Colt
is in a
very different situation: his wife has died and he struggles with his
children,
grief, and some closely-held secrets. When Mallory accepts the job of
nanny to
his kids and moves in, two very different individuals find their lives
on a
collision course.
Bad
behaviors, bratty
children, and adults struggling to put their lives together coalesce in
the
course of The Nanny Song, which
creates a satisfying portrait of two people struggling in different
ways with
responsibilities to themselves and those around them.
One
important note is
that the characters are tackling both their personal issues and those
which
spill out into the wider world and upon each other; and this makes for
realistic scenarios and encounters that paint no single individual as a
stable
force with all the answers to life.
Mallory's
new job as
nanny is not a piece of cake. She's continually facing challenges to
her
abilities and authority on many levels, and her interactions with the
kids and
Brandon are both realistic and absorbing, spiced with the addition of a
mystery
that lends additional depth and detail to the story line.
Equally
notable is
the fact that emotions are explored on all sides; not just Mallory and
Brandon's
feelings. Kids receive their own moments in the spotlight during the
story, as
well: "Brendan looked to Mallory as
if he wanted her to fill in the blanks. She knew she should tell him
the truth
about what Kason had confessed to her, but she wasn’t sure if this
moment,
right in front of the poor, sullen boy, was the time to do it. “That’s
what he
told me as well when I picked him up from school.” Kason showed almost
tangible
relief, thinking the nanny was going to keep his secret."
Mallory
becomes involved
in cleaning up situations between Brandon, his mother, and his
children; but
also in her own life and her approach to her future. Almost
predictably,
romance is in the wind; but this seems almost an afterthought to the
broader
story of disparate individuals, kids, and lives coming together in
unexpected
new ways to change everyone involved.
From the
warm, sugary
scent of pop tarts and a nanny's role in a lively household to evolving
family
relationships and connections and Mallory's growing commitment beyond
work
responsibilities to this crazy family in chaos, The
Nanny Song creates a tumultuous story of change and pays
close
attention to the perceptions of adults and children alike. It's highly
recommended for readers who want a lively story of dysfunction,
healing, and
evolving love.
Return to Index
Obedience
V. G. Kilgore
CreateSpace
978-1546343301
$9.00 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/fK9tZ2L
This
retelling
of an Old Testament story offers a different perspective of events
surrounding
Noah's Ark which focuses not just on Noah's mission; but upon his son
Ham, who
has been at odds with his family since he fell in love with Lita and
married
her against their wishes.
Ham
is a rebel.
Marriage doesn't change his stormy relationships, and the coming flood
and
Noah's charge to build the Ark that will save them all only causes
further
clashes between father and son as Noah's youngest son harbors dubious
thoughts
about the relationship between God and his father, and consistently
rebels
against both.
While
Christian
readers will certainly be the audience for Obedience,
it should be
mentioned that the powerful saga of family relationships complicated by
spiritual edicts ideally will reach beyond Christian circles, as it
provides a
tone and approach that more singular retellings of Biblical events
can't touch.
This
is
partially due to V. G. Kilgore's attention to not just Christian
tenants and
Biblical scenes; but to underlying relationships and influences on
belief and
behavior that lend a powerfully evocative tone to this retelling. It
makes
readers think not just about God and the Ark, but about simmering
family
relationships that come to a spiritual and psychological head under
close
quarters and a struggle to survive devastation.
Obedience's
format, a work of fiction, allows the rich flavors of emotion to rise
to the
forefront as it retraces Biblical events. How does one live on an ark
with
savage animals? What actions are undertaken to ensure the ark doesn't
sink?
Passages are vividly described and nicely develop the story as the ark
struggles, and the people and animals aboard it face numerous
challenges to
physical, emotional and spiritual survival: "She peeked out
the
doorway. It was the throng she had observed that first day in reverse,
the
remnants of the Animal Kingdom, jostling toward the exit from their
long,
sedated confinement. She gasped as she saw Ham approach the large,
snarling
cats with an axe. He sloshed through the ankle-deep water to another
wall and
hacked an opening in it, out of which the animals sprang and quickly
disappeared."
The
spiritual
revelations and moments are just as poignant and immediate ("He
had
brought rain that had wiped off all life but theirs. Surely, He could
save her.
Or was He just a God of death, not life?") and address some
of life's
basic challenges to faith.
Trust,
revenge,
faith, sacrifice, diligence, relationships between parents, children,
and
lovers, and higher callings all coalesce in a powerful retelling that
will
prove riveting and hard to put down even for those well familiar with
the
Biblical story. Best of all, Obedience makes the
reader think about
Biblical events and faith in a deeper way, lending to its use as a
leisure read
and discussion point and making it very highly recommended, indeed. To
put it
simply: there's a lot more going on, here, than a man's faith in
building an
ark to save humanity under God's direction.
Return to Index
Odette's Song
A.G. Russo
Red Skye Press
978-0-9907102-3-3
$3.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CF6T5XS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1523207515&sr=1-1&keywords=odette%27s+song
Odette's Song: Music is Life is a song of
tribute, opening with an
introduction that captures the story's lyrical blend of
autobiographical
reflection and life: "My father had
two obsessions: music and my mother. They were so bound together that
her voice
was the soundtrack of his youth. I was six years old the first time I
saw
him."
From this,
one might
expect the novel to follow a child's evolving relationship with his
parents;
but protagonist Nico is 38 years old, an abject failure in life, admits
to
having hurt his mother multiple times with his venture into drugs, and
is
facing both his loved one's death and the custody of Hunter, Odette's
love
child.
Nico is an
often-irresponsible musician: what is he going to do with a
six-year-old? His
response to the possibility that he have a committed relationship with
Odette's
real legacy is stark: "I’m halfway
to hell now; that’ll send me all the way there.”
Nico's
relationship
with the deceased Odette was fire and ice, with music binding them
together
against all odds. What possible connection can he make with her child
that, to
him, represents a lost cause; much as he views himself?
Odette's
song
continues in her progeny as Nico faces a new career and possibilities
that
clash with his innate misery as a musician walking on the darker side
of life.
A judge will ultimately determine Hunter's fate. Will Nico become
organized
enough to allow Hunter into his life? Ultimately, it all boils down to
Nico's
honesty with both himself and the impact of Odette's legacy.
Odette's Song is about growing up,
responsibility, a lost child
facing two very different families, and a savvy judge's ability to see
through
two very different personas to act in the interests of all. It
juxtaposes legal
proceedings with psychological revelations that lead to transformation,
but
offers no pat, cut-and-dry answers.
Nico must
work
through many things; not the least of which is his own ability to
follow
through on commitments to be responsible for another's life. As readers
absorb
the impact of Odette's Song and its
family-driven messages, they will especially appreciate A.G. Russo's
attention
to building a story that is complex and embraces the extent and results
of
jealousy, betrayal, and interconnected lives.
Readers who
enjoy
stories of family struggles and connections will relish Odette's
Song for its realistic grasp on the basics of life and
meaningful relationships, and for insights that move beyond courtroom
drama and
into the psyches of all involved.
Return to Index
Undercover Chefs
Erin Fry
50/50 Press
978-1947048140
$13.99
www.5050press.com
http://www.undercoverchefs.net/
A baking competition
attracts actual chefs, and amateurs
who harbor secret dreams of being more than home cooks in Undercover Chefs. Here, a cupcake contest
ensnares three disparate
chef wanna-bes: a shy artist, a famous athlete, and a scooter rider
with
limited ambitions in life.
As the three form
relationships and dance around each
other and new possibilities in the culinary world, their contest moves
beyond
classroom and stovetop and into real life as they reassess their
skills,
ambitions, and each other.
On the surface, Undercover
Chefs is a story about kids and changing lives; but spiced by
real-world
events (the author's son's life was also changed by a cupcake-baking
event), it
broadens and deepens into so much more. For one thing, a flavor of
humor runs
through the story line: "Isaac was
only in sixth grade and one of the youngest runners there, but he
didn’t need
to turn around to know he was far ahead of everybody else on the middle
school
team. If he pushed, he could probably break five minutes and thirty
seconds.
His mom would be happy. Coach would rejoice. The finish line was close.
He
should probably start sprinting. Instead, Isaac thought about brownies.
He’d
been experimenting with a new frosting for a few weeks now. He used
mascarpone
cheese, powdered sugar, and some heavy whipping cream. But something
was
missing. Maybe if he added a pinch of ginger. Yes, ginger. That was it!"
Whether she's describing
cupcakes or emotions, Erin Fry's
descriptions are deliciously precise and appealing, from the
introductory
descriptions of a young runner nobody can keep up with to J.C.'s
responsibilities towards his younger siblings at home.
Another notable aspect of
the story is how a contest throws
three very different personalities together, where their interactions
teach
them not just about baking and competition, but about each others' very
different lives. Fry's subtle descriptions are pleasing contrasts to
the
majority of story lines which seem to have forgotten the power of
subtlety and
the "show it, don't just say it" approach ("Jane
smiled—slowly, like her smile had to decide if it was safe
to come out.")
When The Cupcake Team faces
a crisis and finds they can
only rely on each other for support, the real changes and competition
begins in
a moving story laced with fine food, fine lines, and a close attention
to
psychological interactions as the three disparate kids struggle to grow
up and
recognize their talents.
The result is a compelling
story that will prove a
satisfyingly different leisure read for advanced elementary through
middle
school grades and beyond. Undercover
Chefs is a story not just of competition and the culinary
world, but how
these different contestants mature and change for the better, learning
how to
grow into not only their skills, but their hearts.
Very highly recommended!
Return to Index
Whatever
Happened to Ohio?
James Gallant
Battered
Suitcase Press
ASIN: B079SZJ3VZ
$3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/4nS0fj3
Family
reunions,
like weddings and funerals, often bring out the best, worst, and most
bizarre
behaviors in people—but not usually as bizarre as the scenario
described in Whatever
Happened to Ohio?, where aliens and monsters are only the
start of an
intergalactic romp that moves directly from altar to alternate universe.
Adding
to the
mayhem, there's a drug-dealing doc in bunny slippers, an Ohio
Bicentennial
Celebration's ragtag of odd personalities, and Debbie's funny
realizations
(during a yoga 'recharging' attempt) about her likely future after
marriage: "Trying
to empty her mind was futile. Sentences for the wedding gift thank-you
notes
her mother said must be completed before the wedding kept cropping up,
along
with the dreaded question of what work she’d be able to find in or
around
Neville after the honeymoon and whether she’d be able to stand it. She
would
enter the local work force, equipped with her split college major in
film
studies and creative writing — best qualified, Phil said, to write
movie
reviews for the Times in nearby Salem City, which didn’t publish them.
It
wasn’t really funny."
This
zany story
pairs small-town life with an attention to fantastic events confronting
average
Americans, employing a heavy hand on Ohio-centric touches that keep the
action
firmly grounded even as it quickly moves into fantastic arenas: "An
octogenarian barbershop quartet, dapper in flat-topped straw boaters,
plaid
sports coats, and white buck shoes, sang for the crowd gathering on the
courthouse lawn in New Jerusalem, Ohio, for the Frontier Wedding..."
The
sense of
humor running through the story line comes from more than aliens,
adding an
appealing, hilarious tone to such events as a hot air balloon
traveler's
encounter with airport authorities: "At eight hundred feet,
he switched
on the flashing red and white lights on the bottom of the gondola and
made
radio contact with the Indianapolis airport tower: “Am I visible to you
people?” “Unfortunately, yes,” said the air controller. “How soon do
you plan
to be invisible?” “I’m just going with the flow.”
“Yes. May you have a long life.”
Bob’s jocular response was undeliverable,
because his UHF radio had gone dead."
The story is 'Our Town' on steroids, because 'expect the unexpected' is one of this wacky tale's themes, and is exactly what keeps it moving in satisfyingly different directions.
The
result is a very, very highly recommended read for those who love a
sense
of humor, irony, and wild encounters in the course of their stories: a
story of
small-town America that butts firmly into magic realism, laced with a
wry sense
of satirical observation throughout.
Return to Index
The $20,000 T-Shirt
Devon Weaver
Eighty Orchard Publishing
978-0-9995600-0-6
$16.99
www.devonispale.com
The $20,000 T-Shirt:
Life
Lessons (and Fart Stories) from the Greatest Father the World Has Ever
Known
is a parenting book like no other, featuring a candid assessment of a
father
forced to examine the life lessons he was (or was not) teaching his
children.
Before this point, Devon Weaver specialized
in potty humor, just like his father had. Deeper wisdom and
conversations
designed to reveal a sense of purpose, self, and life inspection were
overlaid
by a form of communication with his kids that eschewed real
conversations and
information in favor of shallow approaches that fell short of meaning.
The $20,000 T-Shirt
is Devon's response to his shortcomings, and publishes a book
originally
intended to be a Christmas present just for his two children; not for
the
public eye. His intention is clarified in the book's introduction, and
he
follows through on his promise with every page: "Over
the years, be sure to come back to this book. Revisit it like an
old friend. Keep it close by. I plan to be in your life for many years,
but now
you’ll always have my words and thoughts with you regardless of what
happens. I
have a great life, but I desperately want yours to be head and
shoulders above
mine. I hope this helps."
Thankfully, his effort evolved into
something the wider world can appreciate, passing to his kids (and now
others)
what Weaver "knows to be true" about life and his place in it.
Vignettes come from Weaver's own life
lessons and pair well with insights on not only what he learned from
these
experiences, but how they impacted his worldview; as when he explores
the
aftermath of getting a speeding ticket: "Being
early is a sign that this event, interview, date, job, etc., is
important to you. It was significant enough for you to plan your
arrival well
ahead of time. You didn’t come rushing in 100 miles per hour to try to
hit the
deadline. When you’re early, you can make wrong turns in the car
(happens to me
all the time), circle the parking lot looking for an ideal spot (yup,
that’s me
too), and still get there in plenty of time. Look at your phone while
you wait.
People watch. It’s easy to kill time if you must."
But Weaver doesn't limit his insights to his
own life lessons: he observes how others survive and thrive and
incorporates
these insights into this book/letter: "In
the 1980s, the Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar, was once the most
notorious, and richest, man in the world. The federales were always
after him.
Every safe house he inhabited had multiple escape routes. Normally, I wouldn’t
recommend taking advice
from a murderous drug overlord, but don’t discount their methods of
survival.
He persevered and thrived because he was several moves ahead of
everyone else,
a 3D chess master. He made his own path and played his own game. He
didn’t
follow other cows into the slaughterhouse. And you shouldn’t either."
What differentiates The
$20,000 T-Shirt from other parenting or advice guides is its
attention to linking the author's knowledge with bigger pictures based
on a range
of experiences. Specific strategies are provided, rather than
generalities; and
these form the heart of a powerful guide packed with solid advice that
shouldn't be limited to young adult readers alone: "The
key to accomplishing the gigantic is breaking it down into the
teeny weeniest bite-size segments. When examining his next big thing,
Seth
Godin in Tools of Titans thinks, “What’s the smallest possible
footprint I can
get away with? What is the smallest possible project that is worth my
time ...
because smallest is achievable.” Tony Robbins has a similar approach:
bring the
target closer. Don’t look at the end result. You’ll never start. Build
up your
confidence with the mundane and easy. Got that. Okay. Bump up the
difficulty
level a tad. Then more. And more. Suddenly, after incremental
improvement,
you’re slaying the big boss to finish the game, something inconceivable
when
you first started. I designed a method to keep me focused on the small,
yet
crucial, elements of each project. I call it the Chunky Bucket
Calendar, and it
has really helped me to boil down some gnarly projects into achievable
portions..."
The $20,000 T-Shirt
is a highly recommended pick that parents can give their teens and read
together with them: a series of life lessons that are witty, chatty,
revealing,
and hard-hitting, all in one.
Return to Index
The Thirteen: Ashi-Niswi
Lorin R. Robinson
Open Books
978-1-948598-05-7
$15.95 soft cover; $7.99 ebook
Website/Ordering
Link: http://www.open-bks.com/library/open-library.html
and all on-line book sellers
The
Thirteen:
Ashi-Niswi centers on 13
Native American Anishinaabe teens—living in a “time
before time,” a
world yet to be influenced by white culture.
Ignoring the mandate of their elders, they embark on a
mission of revenge
after Dakota raiders ravage their village.
It is a solid story of native
interactions—pre-white man—that captures the thoughts,
sentiments and determination of this band of young men to regain—at
whatever
cost—the honor of their band. This
work of
historical fiction proves particularly delightful because there are
surprisingly few native stories that take place before the white man's
arrival
and eventual dominance over tribal interactions and affairs.
A preface sets the foundations for the tale
that takes place after the Anishinaabe (later named Ojibwe by the
French), received a spiritual edict to migrate from their
Atlantic coastal
homeland and into unfamiliar territory—to a land where, mysteriously,
“food
grows upon the water.” They were warned that a tribe of white-skinned
people
from across the ocean was coming and would destroy their way of life.
The journey, which begins after 1,000 A.D.,
takes many generations and is fraught with danger. When they reach the
Lake
Superior region—and find the wild rice that signals the end of their
migration—they encounter the native Dakota (later renamed Sioux) and a
long and
bloody conflict results, the heart of this tale.
The narration of events by a teen, Aajim, is
nicely done and offers excellent perspectives on events both immediate
and
viewed retrospectively from his vantage point as Akiwenzil, Old Man,
teller of
the story of The Thirteen. He
survives
into very old age because he becomes a slave to the story, expected to
tell and
retell it at annual tribal gatherings.
His accounts of the youthful war party’s trials and
tribulations are
vividly portrayed.
The tale is also one of Aajim’s
coming-of-age as he struggles to deal with the aftermath of the quest
for honor
and the question of honor itself: “How can killing or being
killed by
Dakota… restore our honor? In any case, this was not ours to
do.
The honorable thing for us would have been to live to become men, to
live to
marry and raise families, to live to work for the betterment of our
band."
Readers will enjoy a close inspection of the
cultural, psychological and physical landscapes of these original
Americans as
they struggle to fulfill their destinies and deal with philosophical
questions
that are as relevant today as they were then. Under Lorin R.
Robinson's
hand, strengthened by its foundations in historical fact, the story
rings with
authenticity.
The result is a moving novel
recommended—because of its depictions of violence; always in taste, but
ever-present—to adult readers interested in strong tales that take
historical
facts and weave them into the kinds of compelling stories that
illustrate
underlying influences on choices and actions.
Wherein lies honor and meaning in life? That is the
question, nicely
posed and eventually answered, in a gripping adventure about cultural
clashes
and adaptation.
Return to Index
Eat What You
Want!
Stop When You Want!
Sora Vernikoff, M.A., M.S.
Green Mind Press
978-0692850237
$24.95 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
http://a.co/ibYazIA
Eat What You Want! Stop When You Want!
comes from an author who
struggled with her own weight issues, and who used her background as an
educator to create a workbook of weight management approaches that
differs from
most other treatments on the market.
For one
thing, she
decided to stop dieting and instead kept a journal of all her eating
habits.
But her approach didn't stop there: she decided to apply her very
successful
classroom management techniques to managing food after reaching her
weight loss
goals without any dieting involved.
Thus, the
birth of
this workbook; which of necessity involves an interactive approach as
Vernikoff
encourages her readers to identify when
they do and do not think about food, how
they think about food differently, and how to use the power of thinking
to
change eating impulses.
The
centerpiece of
this new approach is the author's insights on the "Food-Thought
Struggle" which affects food cravings and what is eaten or what feels
satisfying (or not). It's a simple set of routines anyone can follow ("But before I buy or have it, I have
to ask myself: “Do I want to stop myself or not?” Then I have to wait
for my
answer to arrive.")
Charts,
illustrations, and examples of each step of revised thinking processes
make it
easy to work through The Program and The Technique.
Because this program is all about employing a variety of techniques and
self-assessment strategies, this 'no-diet system' involves much
psychological
inspection and is especially recommended for self-help 'foodies'
interested in
actively altering their perceptions of food. There are a number of
courses to
take, alternatives to consider, and strategies outlined under different
circumstances ("At this point, The
Program says that if you’ve tried The “Minimizer” Technique and you’ve
tried
The “4” Technique and you’re still struggling to reach your non-dieted
weight
loss goal then try Strategy #3, found below in Chart #8c which is
called The
“Boredom” Technique."), and while all are clearly explained, this process will better
reach those actively
engaged in their own transformation than readers who would receive
step-by-step
formulas.
The mile
markers of
achievement are also nicely outlined ("This will let you know
that you
have stopped either your food or gum “eating” behavior.") in a set of explicit instructions highly
recommended for anyone interested in active food management that
involves
revising habits, perceptions, and ideas of food, dieting, and
satisfaction.
Return to Index
Finding
Joy,
Living an A+ Life in a C- World
Carrie Copley
Book Press Publishing
978-0-9967616-4-2
$3.99
www.loveyourlife2.com
First,
Carolyn's
life was good. Then, everything changed. Now she's stuck in defeat,
trying to find
her way back to the joyful world she once perceived.
Finding Joy, Living
an A+ Life in a C- World is a
non-fiction self-help piece about
recovering self-esteem and transformative processes—but, surprisingly,
the key
lies as much in testing perceptions of life and purpose as it does in
taking
the kinds of steps that lead to recovery.
In
Carolyn's
case, the CEO of her company doesn't just validate her feelings: she
asks two
simple questions that help set Carolyn on a different path in life, and
this
process is revealed in Finding Joy, Living an A+ Life in a C-
World.
How
does one
move from feeling like a victim (and having one's peers reinforce this
notion)
to feeling like a winner? It's the process of change which is the
focus, here;
and where other books would provide vague insights, Finding
Joy offers
the specifics missing from similar-sounding accounts.
The
conversation
with the CEO takes place in the second chapter: just enough time to
provide
setting and background. "What did you ignore? What did you
not address?
What did you not deal with...." These are just a few of the
considerations that move Carolyn from a 'stuck' place of victimization
to
considering changes that make a lasting impact on her life.
The
rest of the
book focuses on her transformation process. While the story reads like
a novel,
employing the dramatic embellishments and observations of fiction, the
piece is
actually a nonfiction account. The questions it poses are its strongest
feature; and as Carolyn faces them, so do her readers: "If I
were to
ask you to grade your life in all areas one year ago, what grade would
you have
given it?"
When the difference in a
quality life lies between
dreaming big and staying stuck, what are the motivators and processes
for each?
A powerful saga emerges that draws in readers with the feel of a
fictional
third-person character, yet overlays her path to happiness with lessons
a broad
audience can easily employ and learn from.
Very highly recommended, Finding
Joy, Living an A+
Life in a C- World shows how to
be
extraordinary and build an exceptional life from a "grade C"
environment. Self-help, psychology, new age, and general-interest
readers will
find it equally enlightening and entertaining as they follow Carolyn's
self-discoveries and her specific insights on victim mindsets and paths
to a
better life.
Return to Index
The
Gifts of
Acceptance
Daniel A. Miller
Ebb and Flow
Press
9780982893050
$14.95
http://a.co/bCGsHRa
The Gifts of
Acceptance: Embracing People and Things
as They Are offers a pointed
perspective admonishing readers that life would be much improved if
people
accepted situations, other people, and life; and didn't spend so much
time
wishing things were different.
Author
Daniel A.
Miller well knows what he is talking about. Once he was a controlling
person
who not only wished things were different, but spent much time and
energy
assuring that people and situations changed the way he wanted. As his
experiences in life prompted him to reconsider its direction, he became
educated on the concept of acceptance, its value, and the realities of
adjusting to negative and positive changes alike.
His
own
experiences blend with other case histories, unexpected humor, and tips
on how
readers can acknowledge and practice habits which involve giving up
control and
a good deal of belief in one's personal power in favor of an approach
to life
that encourages reconciliation over conflict.
Chapters
are
very clear in their approaches to potentially complex, confusing
subjects; from
how to accept losses brought about by change to facing conflicting
perspectives, actions, and negative forces in life. This is where many
titles
about acceptance bog down: in providing the specifics of how to handle
degrading behaviors, toxic individuals, and social and political forces
well
beyond individual influence.
The
common
challenges to acceptance, from one's parents to setbacks and failure,
are each
profiled in chapters that use case histories and author experiences to
illustrate the predicament and the contrast between controlling and
accepting
behavior patterns.
The
result is an
informational title packed with strategies, tools, and tips for
negotiating ups
and downs with a new paradigm for living a better life.
Return to Index
In
Search of
Lost Lives
Michael Goddart
Clear Path Press
Paperback ISBN:
978-1-944037-83-3
$26.95
Hardcover ISBN:
978-1-944037-84-0
$38.95
eBook ISBN:
978-1-944037-85-7
$ 9.99
www.epigraphps.com
In Search of Lost
Lives comes from an author born
into a non-religious family, who began
trying to connect to God at the age of eleven, dedicating his life "...to
finding a way to conquer death and achieve immortality with a
consciousness of
absolute bliss." Driven by a desire to connect with God on a
different
level than most religions offer, and by a search for not just the
meaning
behind past lives but evidence of those who lived them, Michael Goddart
uncovered his own past lives, which explained many of his talents and
special
abilities.
In Search of Lost
Lives details this journey and
requires only an acceptance of the concept of
reincarnation in order to prove accessible and appealing.
Chapters
chart
the search as much as the discoveries Goddart made, and this is one
facet which
sets his account apart from other reincarnation books which would focus
on the
end results over the process of recovering lost lives.
The
meat of the
story lies in original journal entries written from March 15, 2013 to
October
16, 2015. There is a purpose to which lives Goddart chooses to profile,
here: "The
lives I focus on are those in which I experienced definite spiritual
evolution.
Lives are also portrayed in which I committed a hurtful act that
resulted in a
subsequent life as an animal or a sojourn between lives in a state of
reformation."
This
selective
highlighting allows for a special process of connecting past life
lessons to
present incarnation purposes, providing readers with at least partial
answers
to the universal questions of who we are, why we are here, and
connections
between spiritual and physical journeys through life.
As
Goddart
explores his past lives, readers receive important information on how
his
discoveries validate and affect his present-day experiences: "Recovering
my past lives has been revelatory. It’s been helping me feel complete
and whole
and connected. I feel good and relieved that I did have a childhood in
Edwardian England. Actually, relieved and grateful and joyful. The
puzzle is
fitting together and offering pictures. It’s like waking up one morning
and
returning to a stubborn jigsaw puzzle and finding that I can gracefully
find
and place key pieces so that I can see key scenes confirmed."
The
saying that
'it's not just about the destination, but the journey' applies nicely
to this
hard-hitting blend of autobiography, spiritual reflection, and
philosophical
insights that take the author's probe of his past lives and connects
that
process to his present-day persona, experiences, and purposes.
Readers
who hold
a prior interest in investigative reincarnation works will relish
Goddart's
special attention to the significant experiences in his various lives
that
contribute to who he is today and also his exploration of lives that
connect
specific desires and actions to transmigration to subsequent human and
animal
lives.
In Search of Lost
Lives is very highly recommended
as a foundation work of spirituality that
moves deftly beyond the usual past life focus to illuminate the
spiritual
purpose of particular past lives and the experiences and evolution that
prepared Goddart to follow his current spiritual path.
Return to Index
Quickstart
Guide
to Songwriting
Randy Klein
AuthorHouse
ISBN:
978-1-5246-9849-2 (sc)
$24.99
ISBN:
978-1-5246-9850-8 (e)
$10.99
www.authorhouse.com
Quickstart Guide to
Songwriting is especially
recommended for those who
have a song in mind, but lack the technical training to translate it to
music.
Typically, these would-be songwriters either work with a musician or
never see
their song to fruition; but Quickstart Guide to Songwriting
offers an
alternative path to making one's mental music become reality.
First
comes an
introductory reference chart providing music sample links to online
examples
that teach basics about tempo, chorus, variations in verse lines, and
give
pointers about songs that work and styles that lack. Then Randy Klein
addresses
the common barriers non-musicians face in translating their song to
music,
which range from ignorance about the parts of a song and what
constitutes a
song to the lack of any prior musical education and discussion on what
subjects
can become songs.
At
each step,
Klein offers much support in the way of tips ("It is not
uncommon to
write the hook first, then the chorus and then the verse. This happens
because
when writing a song, the feeling of what the song is about usually
emerges
first."), step-by-step exercises, clues to composing lyrics
and
feeling beats, and a basic understanding of how melody, harmony and
rhythm work
together.
As
non-musicians
absorb these fundamentals in a supportive environment that assumes no
prior
knowledge, they'll come to the point where they can learn from
listening to
other songs, reading others' lyrics and identifying what makes an
effective
song. The musical online links throughout reinforce this knowledge with
concrete auditory examples of a wide range of styles and approaches.
The
result is a
solid primer that takes the non-musician to the status of songwriter
without
need for any prior musical training: a boon to those who already like
music and
who have an idea, but need the nuts and bolts of education provided in
this
simple, supportive, highly recommended guide.
Return to Index
Surrendering
to
Joy
Suzanne Falter
Love &
Happiness Publishing, LLC
978-0-9911248-0-0
$11.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
http://a.co/fo92M1E
Suzanne
Falter
had no advance warning that her healthy 22-year-old daughter would
collapse
suddenly one night with cardiac arrest, to die six days later. Surrendering to
Joy: My Year of Love,
Letting Go and Forgiveness delves deeply into the events of
six days which
changed the author's life; and those who read this spiritual story of
letting
go and finding joy will find much to relish as they follow her process.
Surrendering to Joy comes with many cautions about the barriers and
successes to finding
and celebrating joy in life. These range from an addiction to the rush
gained
from drama to understanding the meaning and impact of gratitude,
remaining
unaware and uncommitted to spiritual facets in life, and learning how
forgiveness is connected to rebirth.
By
now, it
should be obvious that Surrendering to Joy requires
a certain level of
self-inspection and spiritual, philosophical, and psychological
reflection that
may prove daunting to those who would not inspect their own lives too
closely.
As
readers
pursue three different essays; each of which delves into spiritual
realms, they
will find that the autobiographical revelations include a set of
guideposts to
life-changing attitudes and approaches useful under any circumstance;
but
especially relevant to those whose lives are in flux.
Initially,
one
may question how the worst experience of all—the death of a child—could
lead to
a life-affirming result; but as Falter reveals her own journey and
connects it
to choices and revelations that resulted in not just growth, but
transformation, readers will learn how these changes take place, and
how
recognizing and rejecting old patterns leads to a different level of
awareness.
Falter's
blend
of her own experiences and background and how she moved beyond loss
adds a
philosophical note to her work that is usually not seen in stories of
loss and
recovery: "Within the great matrix of human understanding, we
are given
exactly those conditions we need to thrive – even if that thriving
means we
must spend a significant part of our life in pain."
The
result is
inspiring, accessible, and thought-provoking, highly recommended for
anyone who
wants to move beyond acceptance and into the kind of rebirth that
promises a
joyful life.
Return to Index
These
Three
Words
Christine Bauer
Independently
Published
$19.95
https://www.authorcbauer.com/
These Three Words:
A Birthmother's Story of Choice,
Chance, and Motherhood opens in a
drugstore in 1984, where the then-18-year-old author contemplates her
purchase
of pain medication and sleeping pills towards the goal of suicide.
Pregnant
and
desperate for a permanent resolution to her dilemma that offers a
guaranteed
way out for all involved, Christine Bauer was not prepared to make the
choice
that would lead to motherhood and a hard turn in life that changed not
only her
dreams, but who she was: "In just a few weeks I had tumbled
from
straddling the high board of life to lying at the bottom of the pool.
Just last
week I was a freshman in love with my friends and my new life. Now, I
sat here
wondering how many sleeping pills I should take to end my life."
Christina
can't
stand the thought of disappointing her parents, either way. Her
quandary is
clearly presented in a birth story that represents a journey from the
depths of
despair to the growing realization that life is offering her a
different couse
than she'd ever anticipated, derailing her dreams but replacing them
with new
ones.
Suddenly
she is
a pregnant, teenage Catholic living among Mormans, where she feels like
a fish
out of water: "A Mormon woman’s greatest career is
motherhood. To them,
I would be an anomaly, a freak...I was just so different from them.
They were
married. I was single. They were in their twenties and thirties; I had
just
turned nineteen. They were happy and excited to be expecting babies. I
was sad
and terrified of my pregnancy. They were thinking about how fun it
would be to
bring their newborns home. I was agonizing over the thought of handing
my
newborn over to strangers."
Her
process of
finding the right family for her baby—not just any family; but one that
is
giving, loving, stable, and who will instill the love of learning
Christine has
enjoyed all her life—and her quest to support the most important
decision of
her life makes for a riveting account.
Bauer's
writing
is personal, absorbing, and fully captures these pivot points that
stemmed from
an unintended pregnancy and its lasting impact on her and her entire
family. As
Christine Bauer's family makes changes, she enters into motherhood and
years of
its aftermath with an attention to self-forgiveness and fixing the
mistakes in
her life.
Any
pregnant
teen who has faced these same questions and options, and any reader
interested
in the types of changes that lead Christine to other paths in
motherhood and
parenting, will find These Three Words a gripping
autobiography that
examines not just one young woman's individual journey, but its lasting
joys
and sorrows.
Return to Index
Warrior
Culture and
the Indian Wars
Edward C. Osborne
http://www.edwardosborne.com/
Warrior Culture and the
Indian
Wars: From the Washita to the Rosebud From Custer's Little Bighorn to
Wounded
Knee is a companion volume to Edward C.
Osborne's Warrior
Culture: The Indian Wars. It analyzes
other Indian wars and provides information from the Washita to Wounded
Knee,
applying the same methodical analysis and revisionist history that made
Osborne's first book so hard-hitting and controversial.
The controversy piece lies
in
a historical narrative which continues to challenge cultural
revisionist theory
and its application to traditional perspectives of the Plains Indian
culture as
one of peaceful roots before the arrival of the white man.
Even more important than
its
expansion of battle history, Warrior
Culture and the Indian Wars includes a focus on
the lasting modern
impacts of Custer's Last Stand and the battle at Wounded Knee. It's
this
attention to both historical precedent and the lasting results of its
interpretation on modern-day perceptions and events that makes this
book so
important not just to rectify historical inaccuracies and clarify
cultural
insights, but to trace their ongoing presence in modern-day affairs.
While the degree of scholarship and
footnoted references would seem to indicate that readers should have a
prior
scholarly background in Native American and American history, it's
important to
note that descriptions, dilemmas, and insights don't require a
technical
background in order to prove accessible by lay readers with only a
cursory
familiarity with the subjects.
Osborne's observations and questions are
thought-provoking and easily absorbed ("Was
the Washita River a brutal massacre of peaceful Indians or was it a
warranted
attack against hostile raiders?"), and blend examination of
primary
historical source materials with a critic's eye to their various
interpretations (and misinterpretations) over the years.
This attention to detail allows all readers
to understand how history comes to be written, how its tenants become
accepted
as the norm, and the importance and limitations of secondary sources in
the
scholarly reconstruction of events.
It should also be pointed out that in the
course of this revisionist history, Osborne makes many statements ("Today's minority groups, especially
the Indians, seem to have no sympathy or compassion for white America
who they
see as evil incarnate. They have withdrawn into their own isolated and
primitive tribal past.") that will surely encourage debate
and
argument among scholarly circles and especially in classroom settings;
and this
is a good thing. So many histories present theories and opinions as
'facts'
that having a critical re-assessment allows for fresh perspective on
the
nature, psychological, social, political, and cultural roots of
encounters
between Native tribes both with each other and the white man.
Even broader-based is Osborne's contention
that revisionist historical approaches, when presented in analytical
detail and
depth, hold value beyond the subject they are examining: "It
is accurate revisionism that makes history indispensable and
significant. All honest history is revisionist history because it must
stand
the test of time. It must endure the focused scrutiny of "new"
evidence, new questions and new perspectives by researchers in the
profession.
Quite obviously, the integrity of the historian is the most important
characteristic that he or she must possess."
Black and white vintage photos, maps,
charts, and drawings illustrate characters, controversies, and events
throughout, adding an important visual dimension to the analysis.
The result is an admonition to not only look
at Native American culture and clashes with a new eye to past
historical
representation, but with an acknowledgment of how this affects
present-day
relationships both within Indian tribal circles and between Native
Americans
and whites.
Authoritative, controversial, and steeped in
footnoted references and scholarship, Warrior Culture: The
Indian
Wars
is highly recommended for any college-level
reader or western history enthusiast who would re-examine events of the
past
and their lasting ideas in modern times.
Return to Index
We
Need a
Movement
John Jensen
CreateSpace
978-1977510105
$13.00
http://a.co/5DQ1FnK
We Need a Movement:
Four Problems To Solve To Restore
Rational Government offers a
blueprint and strategy for effecting social change, and is recommended
reading
for those interested in how the entire American social system can be
changed.
This
sounds like
a lofty, impossible goal. The wheels of change move slowly and
sometimes not at
all; and opposing forces that would change nothing rather than benefit
all seem
insurmountable at times.
John
Jensen
addresses some important underlying issues in his treatise; from the
definition
and presence of 'selfish power' in social and political circles to the
limiting
effects of negative attitudes and thinking, which cause entrenched
values and
processes to remain in place at personal, social, and political stratas
of
society.
From
problems
with traditional organizational structures and how planners can change
them to
personalizing the group experience and helping volunteers move into
leadership
roles in group sizes that lend to learning and accepting
responsibility,
chapters teach the basics of group strategies and designs that effect
real
change. A valuable theme of the book addresses a pervasive social
problem: how
people can communicate better with others who disagree with them.
Some
of Jensen's
admonitions may seem simplistic on the surface ("Thousands of
organizations plateau because they do not convey their ideas person to
person.
To a receptive individual who might inspire a thousand others, can you
deliver
your plan for changing the world? If not, start there. Learn how to
change
society and explain it to everyone who will listen. Ask for what you
want."), but they are thoroughly grounded in step-by-step
tasks
designed to move from individual to group strengths.
The need for a movement established, the meat of this title lies in the 'how', making it a powerful choice for activists who would effect real change not just in society, but in the individual ways that they perceive and approach the world.
We Need a MovementReturn to Index
Karina
E.B. Mann
Araby Books
9781974267393
$3.88 ebook/$11.98 paperback
http://a.co/6ykx0ZD
Eighth
grader
Karina Morgan is not like other girls. Her forehead was terribly
scarred when
she was a baby, so she's gone through her short life marred and
tormented by
her peers. The weight of what she faces in school increases every year,
and
middle school seems the worst of all trials until she discovers a cave,
an old
man, and a message that would seem to place her experience in a broader
perspective.
Young
readers
might anticipate that Karina will be about a
handicap fixed by the
miracle of science; but a different kind of miracle comes to light,
here: that
of the mind.
Psychological
insights blend nicely with metaphysical touches as reincarnation, life
purpose,
and lessons that can change others are introduced to the story line.
These
topics may sound like heady reading for middle graders; but E.B. Mann
makes
them accessible through lens of Karina's experience and emotions,
successfully
linking the concept of personal pain and courage with wider-ranging
considerations of how individual trials in life can actually build a
better
world.
These
themes and
how they are handled make Karina a recommended read
beyond middle grades
or even high school, as different age groups will find her story
accessible,
thought-provoking, and a satisfying testimony to the power of
enlightenment and
personal growth.
The
blend of
magical places and a transformative process that ultimately changes not
just
one bullied eighth-grader but those around her creates a memorable read
that
reinforces a powerful concept: "...the world is merely a
reflection of
your own energy. Change yourself and you will see your reflection
change. As
the wise Native American Chief Seattle once said: 'All things are bound
together, all things connect."
Think
Cloud
Atlas, but with a gentler touch, to grasp the essence of Karina's
powerful message, which is highly recommended for all ages.
Return to Index
Your Greatest Adventure
Mande Buckmaster
Creative Amition Press
Trade Hardcover: 978-1-7320568-0-0
$16.99
Trade Paperback: 978-1-7320568-1-7
$ 7.99
Kindle Edition: 978-1-7320568-2-4
$
2.99
www.amazon.com
Jessica
Chrysler's good-sized, bright illustrations
enhance the message and presentation of the picture book Your
Greatest Adventure, which combines a rollicking rhyme with an
exceptionally warm story of a mother and her young son's search for
adventure.
All the
adventures—parachuting, driving a Jeep Wrangler (nee: laundry basket)
through
the plains of Africa, riding in a hot-air balloon (the same basket)—are
presented by a creative mother who goes about her household chores yet
involves
her young child in an imaginative process that takes flight in many
ways and
through many action-packed scenarios.
While kids
and
read-aloud parents will delight in the blend of real-world household
matters
paired with higher-level imaginative thinking, the real message lies in
how
parents can inject a sense of wonder into everyday affairs; even the
most
mundane of household chores.
Enhanced by vivid,
colorful drawings and an approach that captures the essence of lively
thinking,
whether it be in verse, picture, or imaginary events, Your Greatest Adventure's strongest message lies in the types of
creative thinking parents can employ to involve their children in
imagination,
future possibilities, and fun. The tale is further enhanced by a
faithful dog
who leaps in for a piece of the action in virtually every panel.
Your
Greatest
Adventure deserves special mention and recommendation. Quite
simply, it's
one of the most engaging, fun, cozy picture book reads of the new year,
to
date.
Return to Index
Zoonauts II:
The
China Adventure
Richard Mueller
www.zoonauts.com
The
'Zoonauts' are
fictional animal characters created by David Simmons to portray NASA's
project
of sending animals into space; but in Richard Mueller's series, they
have
gained extraordinary intelligence. Middle grade readers ages 8-13 are
in for a
treat with this second book in the Zoonauts adventure, because The China Adventure is a rollicking
story of an alien pilot scout ship in China that runs into difficulty,
and
newly intelligent pandas who quickly develop a nose for trouble.
Animalville
and its
residents have been mutated by aliens during their space adventure in
the prior
book; and are heroes in this sequel, which traces adventures
surrounding the
Chinese capture of two aliens in Shanghai.
Humor is a
constant
stream that runs through the story line, with all adult concepts
explained for
middle grade readers: "As Laika and
Dr. Tom neared the Bar-Be-Cue, they could hear the voices of the
animals raised
in an argument. “Sometime it sounds like ‘Animal Farm’,” said Laika
sourly. The
reference was to George Orwell’s book about animals who take over a
farm and
make things worse than their human caretakers.
“Well, yes, but a much nicer version of it,” said Dr. Tom."
When the
Animalville
residents discover the Chinese capture, and learn that pandas have been
let
loose on Shanghai's streets in the process, they decide to lend paws
and claws
to help. So begins a journey not only to confront aliens and thwart an
invasion, but to help Animalville's fellow creatures.
Facts about
the
Chinese space program ("The Chinese
prepared to carry their space travelers into orbit.
China launched a series of four Shenzhou unmanned
tests. Shenzhou 1 went into space on November 19, 1999.
It made 14 orbits around Earth and carried a
dummy pilot, experimental seeds, commemorative stamps, and national
flags. It
landed the next day in Inner Mongolia.") intersect with the
fantasy adventure
tale of a panda inadvertently altered by the Amadorian mutagenic ray
that is
used on it by mistake. Fun drawings pepper the story and embellish
events,
bringing animals and people to life.
This
supports the
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math
(STEM) educational program by
blending a creative fictional story with a healthy sprinkling of
nonfiction
facts about the Chinese space program.
The
tongue-and-cheek
humor that runs through the story line may be beyond some middle grade
readers;
but most will appreciate the fun references and action laced with
comments,
observations, and ironies (such as a trashy alien spacecraft). Between
aliens
that masquerade as Lucky Dragons (and who already have a history of
being
defeated as dragons in human early history), intelligent animals that
are
determined to save the day, and two savvy homeschooled kids who want to
help, The China Adventure excels in
nonstop
action and satisfying twists of plot that are fairly easy to follow.
The result is a zany, fun, unique story that will appeal to kids who relish humor and tales that incorporate alien invasion, pandas, and Chinese space history.
Zoonauts II: The China AdventureReturn to Index